Manufacture of fashioned hosiery.



A. GEE.

MANUFACTURE OF FASHIONED HOSIERY.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 18, 1907:

924,605. Patented June 8, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG Z WITNE SESZ INVENTOR: W I fLasfir 6'55,

' 1) IZQZ-v I A. GEE.

MANUFACTURE OF FASHIONED HOSIERY.

APPLIOATIONPILEJ) NOV.18,1907.

924,605. Patented June 8,1909.

Fzallzi FIGM INVENTORI 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

followingl ALBERT GEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T THOMAS E.

BROWN, OF WYNCOTE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUFACTURE or memor al) noslnnr.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909..

Application filed November 18, 1907. Serial No.- 402,692.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known" that I, ALBERT GEE, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Penns lvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Fashioned Hosiery, whereof the is a specification, reference being had to t e accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a process of making fashioned hosiery by which I am enabled to produce the product with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

M process may be practiced by the use of mac ,inery knownin the art,'but the choice and method of 0 crating said machinery and the sequence 0 the o erations conducted thereupon are novel. he resulting hosiery is also different structurally from hitherto known hosiery, and hence novel.

aw According to my rocess I knit the leg of a stockingas a tubu ar web, upon a. circular knitting machine, and also upon the same machine inintegral prolongation of a limited portion of-the tubular web, I knit astraight selvaged webjto form the heel of the stockin and then transfer the work to a flat machine and knit a foot portion, as for instance,

a full fashioned French foot, in continuity with the heel selvages and the instep portion of the terminal course of the tubular web. The stocking thusknit is completed by 100 ing and seaming operations as will be ful y deicribed I l v n raeticing my rocess, em oy two kinds df'lrnitting marihines, one ciriih-l'ar and the other flat. For the circular machine I employ a type of machine which, in addition to 'producing a continuous tubular web by .-the spiral progression around the circle of needles of a single feed, is also capable of producing in integral prolongation of such tubular web, one or more (preferably two), fla-t. webs with straight selvaged edges, by the independent reciprocatorymanipulation of a limited continuous series of the needles, and the employmnet of a feed, for each such series; as for exampletwo feeds on opposite sides of the machine during its reciprocation, whereby two threads are simultaneous} ledback and forth, with the ordinary selvaged webs. lo accomplish this separate operation of a limited continuous series of needles which form part of a circle, of needles, it is convenient to differentiate. the series by'employing needles having shanks of production 0 two differing lengths, whereby their butts lie in differing horizontal planes, A circular machine capable of thus simultaneously manipulating by reciprocating two diflerin continuous series of needles on opposite si es of the circle is shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 784,882, dated March 14th, 1905, ranted to Albert M.-Pigeon. An earlier mac ine ca able of the-same operation was patented 1n Great Britain to W. H. Dorman, under date of February 15th, 1887, No. 2325, and other types of such machines are known in the art.

It willtherefore not be neoessar scribe the details of' the circular mac ine emto deployed by-me for the mani 'ulatiorr-of-the a tubular web, and also of simultaneous but discontinuous operation by reciprocation of the' mjachine for the production of two flat weps in integral prolongation of said tubular we The flat machine for the production of the foot may be of any known type, depending u on'the extentto which it is desired to car t e fashionin process. 1 In" the product which I have s own in the drawings and will describe the foot is what is known as full fashioned, (often called a French foot),- having lines of fashioning under the instep and two fashioned gussets at the sides of the 'toe. -Flat machines ca able of doing this work automatically an known as Cotton machines have'long been well known in the art, and need-.not behe're described.

For the production of a stocking accordin to my process, I also employ loopingan seaming machines, but these also are of well known types long'used in the art, and need not be here particularly described, especially as their operations might be performed manually.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure I, re resents in diagrammatic lan view a circle, of lmitting needles or nize for the practice of mypro'oess. Fl .1 ,shows in elevation the samecircle of need es'developed upon a plane.

, reci rocation of the .machine.

Pigeon machine for. the ess.

Fig. III, represents diagrammatically stringwork knit upon the needles arranged as in Fig. I, and employed in the practice of my rocess. Fig. V, illustrates diagrammaticall the cutting of this string-work. Fig. V, ilustrates diagrammatically the method of attaching and constructingthe foot ortion. Fi VI, shows the foot after the eel has been Iooped. 'Fig. VII, shows the completed stocking after the seaming operationrocess fashioned French foot may be utilized.

The first step in my process involves the production, preferably as string-work, of a tubular web prolonged inte ral y upon one side as as'elvaged web. TlllS might be produced upon any ordinary circular knitting machine, as it is ossible on such a machine after continuous y rotating it, for the roduction of a tubular web, to uta part 0 the needles out of action (as or instance, by throwing them to the idle level) ,and then by knitting-with a reciprocatory motion upon the remainin active continuous series, to produce a se vaged web corresponding in width to the active series. If, during such a process of knitting, the loops remain upon the idle needles, and if the selvaged web is muchprolonged, there is a puckering of the work near the corners of the selvaged web, which rendersthe process of knittin difficult. In order to avoid this it is pre erable not to maintain an idle series of needles during the knitting of the selva ed web, but instead to knit simultaneous y two selvaged webs complementary to each other, one upon one series, and the other upon the other complementary series of the needles, by the Such a met od of knitting may be conveniently practiced upon the machine of the Pigeon atent No. 784,882, to .which I have reerred, as well as upon other varieties of knitting machines and as I have illustrated the arm ement of the needles of Fi s. I, and II, it is such as might be employed in the practice of my proc- Referring to Fig. I, it will be. seen that as an example a circular series of two hundred and'ninety needles is shown. Of these, one variety 1, 1, are one hundred and ninetlyeight in number, (two having been omit'te and occupy that part of the circle which is concerne 111 knittingthe heels, and'I will therefore refer to them as the heel needles. It is convenient in the center of this series to omit one or two needles as at 4, for the production of an open-work stitch down the middle "of the back of the tube, for the purpose of assisting in the cutting and seaming -of the stocking, as will hereafter be described. It is also convenient to insert at the proper place, as at 3, a tucking needle which during the reciprocation of the machine will produce a tuck stitch. This also is for marking purposes as will hereafter be explained. The complementary series of needles 2, may be ninety in number, and are those which during the reciprocation of the machine knit -a false instep, to be subseuently cut or raveled away, and they will t erefore be called the instep needles. In order that these two series of needles may be simultaneously but separately operated during the reciprocation of the machine, it is convenient to provide the two series with shanks of differing lengths whereby the butts of the two series of needles occu y differing horizontal planes. As shown in Fig. II, the heel needles 1, are longer than the instep needles 2. In this way by the employment of two sets of reciprocatory knitting cams occupying different horizontal planes it is possible by reciprocating the cam cylinder of the knitting machine to knit separate selvaged webs simultaneously upon each series of needles, and it is also possible by throwing both sets of cams in vertical line and rotating the machine, to operate the entire circle of needles as one series for the production of continuous tubular knitting. During the reci rocatory process two feeds 5, and 6, are em oyed to feed yarn to the needles, one to eac series, while during rotary knitting only one of these feeds is operated. This method of operation is fully described inthe Pigeon patent to which I have referred, the arrangement of the needles only differing in that according to my process all of the heel needles form a continuous series, and all of the instep needles form another continuous series,so that when the machine is reciprocated there can he no interknittingor formation of sutures between the two webs as in the Pigeon patent, where one of the short needles is interspersed in the field of the long needles for the production of an interknit suture.

Upon such a machine organized as I have explained, I produce an indeterminate length of knittin often denominated stringwork. T e structure of this string-work is indicated in III, it being understood that the repetitionof the parts there shown is continued in indefinite succession. It

, com rises plain tubular portions -10 (broken int e drawing to economize space), to be used *for the production of the leg of the stocking. These are knit by the continuous rotary action of the entire series of needles as described. After a proper length of such tubular webhas been knit it is succeeded by the production integrally therewith, by reciprocation of the machine as described, of two complementary selvaged webs of which the narrower one 11, is the instep web, and the wider one 12, is the heel web. Each of these webs is edged by a plain straight selvage indicated by the lines 13, 13; so that the string-work has the appearance of a lon knit tube with aired lengthwise selvage slots, at interval along its length. It .will be noted that with the needles arranged as has been previously described, this heel web is considerably wider than ultimately required for the formation of the heel. This is in order to allow the entral portion of it at the back of the heel to be subsequently ut away as part of a fashioning operation which also involves the ankle tube.

It is convenient to knit the instep web 11, of a very light cheap yarn, as it is to be entirely raveled or cut away; while it is best to knit the heel web. 12, of heavy or reinforced yarn. Atthe proper point in the knittin of this heel web a loose course 15, may be lmit as aline for the subsequent looping operation, which is to complete the bottom of the heel. Or, if a splicin thread is employed in reinforcing the hes, the intermission of the splicing thread for one course, will convenientl produce the same result.

-The string-wort will further preferably have a line or mark in the form of an 0 en stripe extending continuously down t at ortion of the tube which is to form the ache of stockings by reason of the omission of a needle or needles in the center of the heel I series as heretofore explained. The string-work thus produced is severed by cutting along the lines 18, 18, thus dividing it into lengths, each suitable for the production of one stocking, and each comprising a tubular portion'and two complementary selvaged webs in prolongation er'eof. At this, stage of the' rocess a vertical cut 20, may be made by t e shears along the openwork line at ,the back, to about the depth of the selvaged edges. Accordingly the lower end of the fabric will then have the appearance indicated in Fig. IV, where 11, is the false instep, and 12, and 12*, the two heel cheeks produced by dividing the heel portion by the cut 20. On one of these heel cheeks 12', there is preferably a line of tuck stitches 21, produced by the tucking needle 3, convenient for the purpose hereinafter explained.

lie-second stage of the process is now reached which consists 1n transferring to a straight or flat series of needles, the selvage loops of the heel web and also the loo s of that ortion of the terminal course 0' the leg 'tu e which is complementary to the portionof that course from which the heelweb portion of the leg originates. This transfer line is indicated in both Figs. IV, and V, by the letters 11:, w,

- a straight series of needles u on a flat nitting machine known as a ooter". Upon this footer the foot is knit as a flat fashioned web. If it is desired to produce a full fashioned French foot, the work will then have the ap earance indicated in Fi V, where 10, is t 1e lower end of the tubu ar portion, 12, and 12, the two heel cheeks, 22 the instep, and 23, 23, the two sole flaps with lines of fashioning 24, 24, at the instep and toe gussets' 25, 25, for the fashioning at the sides of the toe pocket.

' When the'transfer operation is made the entire false instep 11, is cut or raveled away back to the line of loops n, 0, at its base upon whichthe transfer operation takes place, and from which the true instep 22, knit on the footer springs.

The final step of the process consists in completing the sole of the foot by uniting the opposed lower edges of the heel cheeks and sole flaps along the middle of the sole. In the formation of the French foot the edges of the heel cheeks 12, and 12, are united by a looping operation along the line 28, in Fig. Vi, while the edges of the sole flaps are united by a seaming operation alon the line 29, This completes the foot but leaves the tubular leg ortion without any fashioning at the anke and the heel open at the back as seen in Fi Vi. The stocking is therefore completed hy a further seaming operation. This begins near a oint near the back of the heel conveniently indicated by the line of tuck stitches 21, and continues alongthe line 30, as indicated in Fig. VI'I, until the oint 33, is reached where it is desired that tie leg. shall have the full diameter of the tube as originally knit. The seaming might etc i here, but, as it is unsightly to thus end t 1e seam it is best to prolong it along the, line 31, 32, to the top of the stocking. This seaming operation results in cutting away that portion of the knit fabric which is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. VII, and leaves the completed stocking having the desired configuration as there shown.

Such a stocking-as thus produced by my process is as completely fashioned as one wholly knit upon a flat machine as the process is commonly practiced in Germany, and with its edges united by the seam running from toe to top at the back of the stocking; but my process has the advantage that much the greater part of the fabric comprising all roduced by the method of operating these machines, because this is the most convenient way of clearly teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the process, but it must be understood that the process which I have invented is not necessarily dependent upon the particular mechanism employed in its practice, but consists essentially in a series of o erations performed upon threads or yarns y which they are built up into the structure which we call a stocking. Essentially, therefore, my process consists in first knitting the leg as a continuous closed tubular web; then knitting in integral prolongation of a limited ortion of this tubular web, a selvaged we of uniform width and of sufficient length to form the heel of the stocking; and then knitting the foot as a flat web, whose first course is drawn through the selvage loops of the heel web, and also through the termlnal loops of that part of the leg tube which is not prolonged to form the heel web. This I believe to be novel, for although I am aware that it has hitherto been proposed in United States Letters Patent No. 185,561, to Moses Marshall, to knit a heel prolongation on one side of a knit tube and to employ the selvage loops of this prolongation in starting the foot, yet, such process, as well as the stocking thereby produced, differs essentially from mine, in that the foot is not knit as a flat web, nor does it employ as the foundation of the foot the terminal loops of that art of the leg tube not prolonged to form t e heel web, but, on the contrary, Marshall prolongs the complementa portionof the le tube, and incorporates t is prolonged comp ementary web, into the foot of his stocking, producing an essentially different article, and operating according to a different scheme of knitting from that involved in my process.

A further process which is involved in the invention, as I have described it, is found in the plan of knitting not only the selvaged heel web, but also a complementary selvaged web of equal length, which I have referred to as a false instep, in order that the entire tubular knitting may be performed on a single circular knitter, with indefinite reduplication as string-work; and then cutting away or sacrificing the false instep thus formed, in order that the foundation of the foot may be the continuous line of 100 s formed jointly by the heel selvages and tiie course of knitting loops which lies between the origins of these heel selvages.

I further consider as novel, the processof forming the heel from the single selvaged web by cutting and seaming it at the back, whereby a considerable portion of the central part of the heel web is sacrificed in order that the formation of the back of the heel may coincide with, that fashionin which takes lace at the ankle portion of tlie tubular weld It will be understood that when in the claims I speak of a straight selvaged web I mean a flat web of uniform width which is knit upon a continuous and constant series of needles by reciprocation of the thread back and forth with formation of straight selvaged edges.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The improvement in the art of knitting fashioned hosiery, which consists in first knitting the leg as a continuous tubular web; then knitting simultaneously two straight but complementary selvaged webs as integral prolongations of the tubular web, one to form the heel and one as a false instep; then discardin the false instep and knitting the foot as a fiat web, the first course of which is drawn through the selvage loops of the heel web, and also the loops of that portion of the terminal course of the leg tube from which the false instep originates; and com leting the stocking by uniting the edges of tile foot and heel portions.

2. The improvement in the art of knitting fashioned hosiery which consists in first knitting the le as a continuous closed tubular web; then nitting as an integral rolon ation of a limited ortion of this tubu ar web a straight selvaged heel web, having a width in excess of that required to form a heel; then knittin the foot as a flat web, the first course of whic is drawn through the selvage loops, of the heel web, and also the loops of that portion of the terminal course of the le tube which is complementary to the portion of that course from which the heel web origi nates; and completing the stocking'by uniting.

the edges of the foot and heel portion, an cutting away so much of the the heel web and the ankle tube at the back as is re these parts, and uniting t gether.

3. The improvement in the art of knitting fashioned hosiery which consists in knitting,

central part of portion of the leg uired to fashion e cut edges toas string-Work, tubular webs for legs, alternatingwith sections comprising two com lementary selvaged webs; severing the stringwork below the'selvaged webs which are to constitute the one the heel, and the other a false instep; removin the false instep from each leg tube; and knitting the foot as a flat oundation of the fashioned web upon the line of loops'forme'd by the selvage edge of I terminal course of the leg tube from which the heel'web and the terminal loops of the the false instep originates; discarding the leg tube at the base of the removed instep. 1 false instep {knitting the foot upon this latter 15) 4. The method of producing a fashioned 1 machine as a flat fashioned web; and com- 1 5 stocking, which consists in knitting a conpleting the stocking by looping and seaming. tinuous leg tube 011' a circular knitting ma- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto chine; then knitting on the same machine two signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylcomplementary selvaged webs 'one to form a Vania, this sixteenth day of November, 1907. 20

heel and the other a false instep; transferring ALBERT GEE. 10 to a fiat knitting machine-of the Cotton type I Witnesses:

the line of loops formed by the selvages of the JAMES H. BELL,

heel web and the loops of that portion of the E. L. FULLER roN. 

